Welcome to Close Call Sports. CCS objectively tracks and analyzes close and controversial calls in sport, with great regard for the rules and spirit of the game. Developed from The Left Field Corner: MLB Umpire Ejection Fantasy League (UEFL), whose purpose is to objectively track and analyze umpire ejections, video instant replay reviews and their corresponding calls, with great regard for the rules and spirit of the game.

Thursday, January 12, 2012

Basketball Ejections: Derek Richardson

Referee 3 (Umpire) Derek Richardson ejected Miami Heat coach Erik Spoelstra for arguing an intentional foul no-call during Overtime of the Heat-Clippers game. With the Lakers leading 92-89 and 12.6 remaining in OT, Heat player Shane Battier fouled Clippers forward Blake Griffin. The common foul was the Heat's first in the final two minutes and the Clippers were accordingly awarded the ball out of bounds. Clippers guard Chris Paul inbounded the ball to Chauncey Billups, who passed back to Paul before center DeAndre Jordan received the ball for an uncontested slam dunk with 5.6 seconds remaining. Spoelstra immediately left the Heat's bench area to argue with the nearest official (Richardson) about what he believed was a series of missed foul no-calls when Paul had the ball near half court.

Replays indicate Paul was briefly held by Bosh, but when contact was made, the ball had already been passed to Jordan, the call was correct. At the time of Spoelstra's ejection, the Clippers were leading, 94-89. The Clippers ultimately won the contest, 95-89.